‘The Bachelor’ Recap: Arie Luyendyk Jr. Picks Final Four
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “The Bachelor” episode from Monday, Feb. 12.
Week 7 on “The Bachelor” means only seven women remain in the competition for Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s final rose, and things are getting serious with hometown dates on the horizon.
The Bachelor and his contestants traveled to Tuscany in this episode, and emotions were high from the very beginning, with three women knowing they would be let go before it was time for Luyendyk to meet the families. This week also marked the first one without Krystal, who was sent home after a dramatic two-on-one date with Kendall.
The episode kicked off with a second one-on-one date for Becca K., who landed the first date of the season back during the second week. The two explored the town of Barga (while struggling heavily with their Italian) and made out in a number of scenic locations. Prior to the one-on-one, Luyendyk had expressed concerns that they hadn’t moved forward much since their first date, but he seemed smitten during the day. At night, the Bachelor and Becca talked about who he would meet if she was chosen for hometown dates, and she admitted she was falling for him, which he said “made him really happy.”
“I really needed today to see if there was that passion was there,” Luyendyk said before giving her the rose. Becca K. has been a frontrunner all season and solidified her spot with a hometown date rose.
Back at the hotel, Jacqueline, last week’s breakout star, expressed concerns about falling for Luyendyk as she works to get her PhD and about introducing him to her family. In his room after the Becca K. date, Jacqueline discussed her doubts and told him, “I’m not confident enough in the feelings that I have to justify [a hometown date] at this point.” Despite Luyendyk trying to convince her to stay, she chose to leave.
“If you have any regret you come back to me,” the Bachelor told her during their teary goodbye. A woman putting herself and her career first on this show? Yes, please.
Even though Luyendyk was “heartbroken” from Jacqueline’s goodbye, he rebounded with a one-on-one with Lauren B., who got another date after just having a one-on-one last week in Paris. The two ate pizza and got gelato while once again, Luyendyk tried to decipher if Lauren B. was interested in him — though she did actually speak to him on this date, which is a step up from their silent Paris outing.
At dinner, Luyendyk continued trying to draw Lauren B. out of her shell and when she told him she was falling in love with him, he abruptly left the table to go walk around… in the woods? When he returned he told her, “I’ve felt some things I haven’t felt in a very very long time. I’m falling so deeply in love with you it’s crazy” before giving her the rose. This sudden outpouring of affection was unexpected, as the two have continuously struggled to not only open up, but to even have normal conversations. Nevertheless, she’s onto the final four.
A third one-one-one date went to Seinne, where she and Luyendyk went to an Italian home to make homemade pizza and pasta. Is a heart-shaped pizza enough to capture the heart of a woman wildly out of his league?
At dinner, the two had a serious discussion about hometown dates and their future in a conversation filled with awkward silences. Seinne clearly didn’t have the feelings for him that Becca K. and Lauren had, and the Bachelor seemed to be having the same problem.
“There isn’t anything wrong with us, I just haven’t felt things that I feel I should be feeling at this moment,” Luyendyk said before sending her home. Here’s hoping Seinne ends up on “Bachelor in Paradise” or even “The Bachelorette.”
The remaining three women — Bekah M., Tia and Kendall — went on a three-on-one date at an Italian estate where drama quickly started brewing. During their solo time, Tia voiced concerns to Luyendyk about 22-year-old Bekah M.’s inexperience and if she was taking the relationship seriously. She later confronted Bekah with those same concerns and said she was worried she would break his heart.
“I just feel hurt and misunderstood. I don’t like when I’m not seen for who I really am and it hurts me,” she said in tears as she was comforted by Luyendyk.
He didn’t seem affected by Tia’s concerns and instead focused the conversation on meeting Bekah’s family and what they would think of their 14-year age difference. In a surprising move, Luyendyk gave out one of the date roses during the day to Kendall, leaving two season-long frontrunners in Bekah M. and Tia to battle over the fourth hometown date rose.
After Kendall was safe, she went back to the hotel to leave Bekah and Tia on a two-on-one for dinner. When it came time for the rose, he saved Tia and sent Bekah home, which was pretty shocking considering how strongly he seemed to feel for her.
Next week, Luyendyk heads to the hometowns of his final four — Becca K., Lauren B., Kendall and Tia — and based on the previews, faces a lot of skeptical parents.
“The Bachelor” airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Related stories
'The Bachelor' Recap: The Top 10 Head to Paris, Krystal Faces 2-on-1 Date
'Bachelor' Contestant Was Reported Missing After Being Phone-Less During Show's Filming
'The Bachelor' Recap: Arie Luyendyk Jr. Gets Serious, Krystal Drama Escalates
Subscribe to Variety Newsletters and Email Alerts!
